Interactions with Children

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Interactions with Children

POLICY STATEMENT:

Our Service will provide an environment that reflects the principles in My Time, Our Place where the development of secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships with children are fostered and encouraged and genuine respect for diversity and a commitment to equity is reflected in all our interactions with children.

We will endeavor through our interactions with children to nurture their optimism, happiness and sense of fun and we will aim to recognise and respond to barriers which may impact on children achieving a positive sense of self identity.

Educators will utilise opportunities in their interactions with children to develop an understanding of each other’s expectations leading to a deeper understanding of each other and the negotiation of clear boundaries regarding safety, respect for others and procedures for creating a caring environment.

PROCEDURES:

All children and adults will encourage Belonging Respect Individuality Cooperation and Kindness principles to each other by modelling this and reminding others when their actions do not promote these school beliefs.

Children will also learn the safety rules of the service and Educators will reinforce this by pointing out when rules are broken, giving the children opportunity to recognise the dangers in breaking rules.

Dealing with consistently inappropriate behaviours

Any child who continuously absconds from the Service, uses inappropriate langague or gestures, or is violent towards others will be dealt with in accordance with this policy.

remove the child from the situation and then alert the child’s parents as soon as practical about the incident and the necessity for them to collect their child due to the inappropriate behaviour being demonstrated.

ensure the child is aware of the limits and what is appropriate behaviour.

ensure the expectations are appropriate for the child’s level of development and understanding.

look for and assess possible causes for the behaviour such as environmental factors.

discuss the issue with the child and their family members.

record all incidents that occur in relation to inappropriate behaviours, making note of the events leading up to the incident, the date and time, who was involved and how the incident was handled.

develop an action plan for the management of the specific behaviours and include a plan for regular discussions with all Educators, children’s families and school professionals to review the action plan’s effectiveness and progression.

Where a child demonstrates behaviours that are physically harmful, Educators will:

remove the child from the situation and then alert the child’s parents as soon as practical about the incident and the necessity for them to collect their child due to the violent behaviour being demonstrated.

ensure any children or Educators involved have not been hurt and apply first aid where required.

record the details of the incident including date, time, people involved, people injured and the action taken.

send information to the Committee and the Children’s Education and Care Assurance (CECA) as appropriate.

decide on an appropriate suspension time to demonstrate to the child and parents/guardians the seriousness of the situation and for appropriate discussion, investigation and action plans to be put into place before the child’s return.

ensure that the child is aware of any wrongdoing and encourage the child to make amends to anyone he/she has hurt.

Exclusion for unacceptable behaviours

Should unacceptable behaviour continue and the above strategies have not worked effectively, the Educators will inform management and discuss the issue.

Where, in the interest of the child and other children at the Service, exclusion, not suspension, is seen as a necessary step, this will be decided by management and will only be considered after:

strategies have been in place for a reasonable time as determined by the nominated supervisor and the committee.

Parents/guardians have been notified and given the opportunity to discuss the child’s behaviour and strategies for creating change.

referrals to other support agencies have been suggested and the service has sought support from other agencies to help improve outcomes for the child.

Educators and management have given careful consideration to the issue.

Should the child’s behaviour in this case improve , prior to accepting the child back into the Service a clear management plan must be established , implemented and supported by the child’s parents/guardians so that the best outcomes for the child are being met.